Saturday, 16 August 2014

I don't typically do press release stuff but these watches are of interest to me. the rolex is also probably the only one in the pricier luxury watch segment with a gradient dial in the way this d-blue dial has been done going from dark blue to black top to bottom. so what are my thoughts of the 2?Rolex Deepsea Seadweller D-Blue - I prefer the original styled 16600 seadweller to the deep sea version so the 2014 basel release of a normal updated version of it, the 4000 Ref. 116600, was welcome. the Deep Sea Seadweller is an interesting larger beefier sized Rolex diver though and the dial on this gives it a significantly different look such that folks who own the original submariners/seadwellers might consider this as a possible option for an addition to their dive watch collection. that is if they like the dial of course. i am warming up to it somewhat but i think will only be able to decide if i do like it after i see it for myself in the metal and compare it with the 116600 as well as the new milgauss blue dial whenever they do pop up. will see.AP Tourby Chrono - This is launching at watches and wonders, which is taking place on 30 Sep to 2 Oct at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Exhibiting Maisons: A. Lange & Söhne, Audemars Piguet, Baume & Mercier, Cartier, IWC,
Jaeger-LeCoultre, Montblanc, Officine Panerai, Piaget, Richard Mille, Roger Dubuis,
Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels. for more info LINK i am considering going by but just thinking about it for now... onto select press release info for these watches then.

Rolex Celebrates Its Partnership with James Cameron’s Historic Dive by Launching a New Version of the Rolex Deepsea
On the occasion of the release of National Geographic’s DEEPSEA CHALLENGE 3D film about the expedition to the deepest reaches of the ocean by explorer and film-maker James Cameron (Titanic, Avatar), Rolex has introduced a new version of its Rolex Deepsea. This ultimate divers’ watch, resistant to extreme pressure, isequipped with a “D-blue” dial representing the colours of the deep. The deep blue to pitch-black gradient dial is reminiscent of the ocean’s twilight zone where the last trickle of light from the surface disappears intothe abyss, echoing James Cameron’s DEEPSEA CHALLENGE expedition. A sa tribute to the partnership between Rolex and Cameron, the “DEEPSEA”marking on the new dial adopts the colour of the explorer’s green submersible as it is perceived underwater.Exploring the last frontier On 26 March 2012, film-maker and explorer James Cameron made a record-breaking solo dive 10,908 metres (35,787 feet) below the surface of the Pacific Ocean piloting the DEEPSEA CHALLENGER submersible. He remained on the ocean floor for three hours to explore, take samples and capture the first-ever high-resolution images of this last frontier. Scientists estimate that 95 per cent of the oceans remain unexplored and hold hidden clues to life on Earth. The samples taken on the expedition have led to the identification of at least 68 new species. The documentary film follows the DEEPSEA CHALLENGE adventure from its very beginning to the last of its 13 Pacific dives.

Rolex and the deep
Rolex watches have a connection with both the Trieste and the DEEPSEA CHALLENGE expeditions. During both historic dives, an experimental Rolex watch attached to the hull of the submersible was exposed to the most colossal water pressure on the planet, some 11 kilometres (7 miles) below the surface. Both watches emerged working perfectly, illustrating the supremacy of Rolex in mastering water-proofness. Rolex played a pioneering role in the conquest of the deep with the creation, in 1926, of the Oyster, the world’s first waterproof wristwatch, then of professional divers’ watches: the Oyster Perpetual Submariner (1953), Sea-Dweller (1967) and Rolex Deepsea (2008).

The ultimate divers’ watch The Rolex Deepsea, a new-generation divers’ watch, is waterproof to an extreme depth of 3,900 metres (12,800 feet). Its 44 mm Oyster case, reinforced with the patented Ringlock System, was designed to exceed the most exacting demands of professional divers. It defines new standards of robustness, precision, functionality and reliability.
James Cameron was wearing a Rolex Deepsea during his expedition into the Mariana Trench. The model also served as the blueprint for the design of the experimental Rolex Deepsea Challenge, waterproof to a depth of 12,000 metres (39,370 feet) and tested in real-life conditions during Cameron’s dive, affixed to the robotic arm of his submersible.

Pushing the limits
With the new version of the Rolex Deepsea equipped with a gradient “D-blue” dial, Rolex is celebrating not only its partnership with James Cameron’s historic expedition, but also its commitment to exploration, innovation and the constant desire to push the limits of human endeavour.

Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Offshore Self-Winding Tourbillon Chronograph Limited Edition of 50 [Ref: 26550AU.OO.A002CA.01] Limited Edition of 50 List of $285.6k
It was in 1993 that Audemars Piguet established a whole new category of sports watch with the ground-breaking Royal Oak Offshore. A natural evolution of the original, octagonal Royal Oak which took the watch world by storm in 1972, the supersized 'Offshore' was large, bold, rugged and highly functional.

The thinking behind the design of its 42mm diameter case was to create a luxury sports watch which was virtually indestructible. A soft iron inner cage made it ultra-resistant to magnetism; a rubber coated crown and pushpieces combined with a visible gasket beneath the screwed-down bezel made the watch exceptionally waterproof - and the sheer volume of metal in the case provided the selfwinding movement with an unparalleled degree of protection.
It was not long before the Royal Oak Offshore attracted a cult following among horological aficionados, leading to its current status as one of the all-time greats of modern watch making which has been interpreted in numerous different configurations yet which has always retained its essential, original character.
One of the most dramatic and unexpected of those interpretations appeared in 2010 in the form of the first Royal Oak Offshore Tourbillon Chronograph featuring a hand-wound movement and a case incorporating forged carbon and ceramic.
Now, four years later, Audemars Piguet is proud to present an entirely new Royal Oak Offshore
Tourbillon Chronograph driven by the very latest, selfwinding Calibre 2897 which has been
especially developed to power it.
As mighty as the watch itself, the Calibre 2897 mechanism comprises 335 parts and can be
seen in all its glory through a sapphire crystal caseback. A true, micro mechanical work of art,
the movement is rich in components which have been bevelled, polished, chamfered and
decorated entirely by hand to create a shimmering play of light and shade.

From an engineering perspective, too, the Calibre 2897 stands out: the automatic winding
system is driven by a peripheral oscillating weight made from satin-brushed, 950 platinum. The
calibre can be seen through a special aperture at the one o’clock position as well as through
the oscillating weight visible from the dial side.
Exceptional accuracy is ensured, meanwhile, through both the tourbillon mechanism and the
use of the column wheel system, which is widely regarded as being the most reliable and
precise of all chronograph configurations.
To protect this sublimely beautiful powerhouse, Audemars Piguet's designers have created a
very special version of the Royal Oak Offshore case based on modern, black coloured
materials: forged carbon for the middle,ceramic for the bezel, titanium and ceramic for the push
pieces and rubber for the strap.
The Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Tourbillon Chronograph: an exceptional blend of traditional
watch making savoir faire and high tech thinking.
The Calibre 2897 movement was created entirely in-house by Audemars Piguet using the very
latest in horological technology combined with the classic watch making skills for which the
company has been renowned since its founding almost 140 years ago.
Everything from the rounded cut of the bridges to the S-shaped coupling yoke (traditional to the
watch making of the Vallée de Joux), the curves of the minute-counter bridge and the
characteristic toothing of the column wheel display a mechanical artistry that almost belies the
fact that the finished article is a precision mechanism capable of slicing time in to fragments of a
second.
Audemars Piguet is one of the few remaining high-end watch makers to still use such a high
level of decoration, which includes classic finishes such as mirror polishing, hand chamfering,
circular graining and hand-drawing.
All of these are executed manually in a series of meticulous operations that account for as much as 30 per cent of the value of the finished timepiece.
The process takes many hundreds of hours before the master watch maker can perform an initial trial assembly in order to give first life to the newly created Calibre 2897 movement - after which everything is dismantled, meticulously cleaned and made ready for final assembly before being mounted in the 44mm Royal Oak Offshore case.

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